Apparatus for individually dispensing cards, sheets, or the like



Dec. 2, 1952 H. o. PIERSON 2,620,250

APPARATUS FOR INDIVIDUALLY DISPENSING CARDS, SHEETS OR THE LIKE Filed May 19, 1950 III u-lh mmlmmmnmi Patented Dec. 2, 1952 APPARATUS FOR INDIVIDUALLY DISPENS- ING CARDS, SHEETS, OR THE LIKE Hugh 0. Pierson, Hyattsville, Md.

Application May 19, 1950, Serial No. 162,931- In France September 22, 1949 12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for individually dispensing cards, sheets, or the like, and has particular reference to an apparatus in which the cards, sheets or the like are individually separated from a stack or pack thereof and are individually projected a sufficient distance in advance of said pack or stack to be readily and individually grasped by an operator and removed therefrom.

The apparatus of the present invention will find considerable utility in diverse types of card or sheet dispensing or feeding devices or machines wherein separate or individual delivery of a card or sheet from a stack or pack thereof is necessary or desirable, but such apparatus as that disclosed and claimed herein is especially adapted for use in a device or machine in which a plurality of stacks or packs of cards or sheets are mounted behind the front panel of a dispensing cabinet and wherein an operator selectively actuates dispensing mechanism to obtain a card or sheet from the selected stack or pack. In such devices or machines, it is the usual practice to mount behind the front panel of the cabinet, a plurality of individual magazines of different cards or sheets, and to associate with each of said magazines a manually-operable dispensing device, usually a spring actuated plunger or the like, by means of which an individual card or sheet may be separated from the other cards or sheets in the selected magazine and may be projected through a slot in the front panel of the cabinet, to be readily grasped by the operator for removal thereof. Such card or sheet dispensing cabinets are very effective, and of considerable value, in the field of advertising of goods, wares, merchandise, and services, and function as a ready means for the dissemination of information, intelligence, and other data.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for individually dispensing cards, sheets, or the like, in which the said cards r sheets are stored in superimposed relation within a magazine of novel construction, and are disposed in such magazine in a manner such as to permit ready removal of an individual card or sheet from said magazine and to project such individual card or sheet to a position wherein the front or leading end portion thereof may be readily grasped by an operator for removal of said card or. sheet from the magazine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for individually dispensins cards, sheets, or the like from a stack or pack of the same contained within a magazine of novel construction, and to associate such magazine with a dispensing device effective, when actuated by an operator, to separate the lowermost card or sheet, and such lowermost card or sheet only, from the bottom of the pack thereof within the magazine and to project said lower most card or sheet beyond the front end of the magazine where it may be readily grasped by the operator for removal of said card or sheet from the magazine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel magazine adapted to be associated with an ejector means by which the cards or sheets stored within'the magazine may be individually dispensed therefrom, and in which the rear portion of the stack or pack of cards within the magazine is confined between members which engage the opposite sides of the rear portion of the stack or pack and which are spaced apart a distance less than the width of the cards, whereby the rear'portion of the stack or pack of cardsis squeezed or pinched together and frictionally held against forward movement, with the rear portions of the stack or pack slightly bowed or curved.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type specified, which is cheap and easy to manufacture and use, which is relatively simple in construction and operation, which is strong and durable, and which is highly eflicient in the purposes for which designed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my present invention,

Fig. 1 is a. vertical sectional view of the apparatus of my present invention including a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of a portion of the front panel of a dispensing cabinet with.

which the apparatus is associated, and including a fragmentary, vertical, side elevation of one of the magazines immediately underlying an upper magazine,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of my present invention, including a fragmentary showing of one of the rear card-engaging members adjacent the rear edge of the stack or pack of cards within the magazine.

Fig. 3 is a sectionalview on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, i f

Fig. 4 is an end elevation on the line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a p1an view of the apparatus of my present invention, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modi- 3 fied form of card-engaging member which may be substituted for the card-engaging member shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been employed to designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral I designates a portion of the front panel of a card or sheet dispensing cabinet of any desired or preferred construction, such front panels usually being provided with aligned, spaced, parallel rows of horizontal slots, one of which slots is designated by the reference numeral 2. A support member 3 of inverted U-shaped transverse cross section has it depending front flange 4 bolted, screwed, or otherwise attached to the rear face of the front panel I of the cabinet, with the top horizontal portion 5 of said support member 3 disposed slightly below the horizontally aligned row of openings 2, it being understood that there will be one of these support members 3 below each of the horizontally aligned rows of openings 2 in the front panel I of the cabinet. The depending front flange 4 and the depending rear flange 6 of the support member 3 are provided with horizontally aligned apertures, through which extends an operating rodor plunger 1 of a card ejector mechanism to be hereinafter more particularly described. The forward end portion of the rod or plunger 1 extends through an opening in the front panel I immediately below the slot 2. A coiled compression spring 8 surrounds the rod or plunger 1 andis disposed between the inner face of depending flange I5 and an abutment or washer 9- on-rod or plunger I, which abutment or washer is held against forward movement by means of a locking pin. or the like It] extending transversely through the rod or plunger I, whereby said spring 8, functions to maintain the rod or plunger I in its forward, normal position as shown in Fig. 2 and to return said rod or plunger to said normal position after the same has been moved inwardly by the operator and is then released.-

While the card or sheet ejector mechanism may take various forms, a preferred embodiment comprises the reciprocating,.spring projected rod or plunger I, on the. inner end of which is secured a block I I-, to the upper end of which is secured a second block I2. A flat plate I3hasits inner end secured to the upper face of block I2, and extends toward the front panelI of the cabinet, the lower surface of the forwardly-extending portion of plate I3 having adepending projection I4 thereon which-slidably, and-with a minimum of friction, engages the uppersurface of the top horizontal portion 5 of the support member 3. A pair of upwardly and forwardly extending pins I5 are secured to the upper face of block I2 adjacent opposite side edges thereof. One of these ejector mechanisms is positioned below each slot 2, its purpose being to remove the lowermost-card or sheet from a stack or pack disposed above such ejector mechanism. If desired, the pins l5 may be omitted and a-piece of rubber, or a piece of sandpaper or other friction material I5a may be secured to the upperfaceofthe plate I3 (see Fig. 6). The top horizontal portion 5 ofsupport member 3 is provided with spaced apertures I6 positioned'near the front end of said horizontal portion and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of plate I3 so that said plate may move back and forth over the space between such apertures.

The preferred means for storing the individual stacks or acks of cards or sheets, consists of a magazine which preferably comprises a substantially rectangular top plate I! of a length and width correspondingly substantially to the length and width of each of the cards or sheets to be stored in the said magazine. At each side of the plate I! and near the front or forward end thereof, I weld or otherwise rigidly secure a depending leg I8, these depending legs being substantially opposite each other and being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of one of the cards or sheets, whereby said cards or sheets are freely slidable between said opposed, depending legs I8 and are guided by said legs during the sliding movement of the individual cards or sheets therebetween. At each side of the plate I! and near the rear end thereof, I provide notches I9, within each of which I weld or otherwise rigidly secure the upper end of a depending leg 20, these depending legs being substantially opposite each other and being spaced apart a distance slightly less than the width of one of the cards or sheets, whereby the rear end portions of a stack or pack of cards or sheets placed within said magazine will be squeezed or bowed between said legs. At the rear end of plate I7, I weld or otherwise secure a depending leg H, which leg is positioned, preferably, at the center of said rear end. Legs I8, 20-, and 2| are all of substantially the same length and have their upper ends flush with the top surface of plate II, which plate and legs constitute the magazine structure of my present invention. It is contemplated that a plurality of these magazines be provided, anyone of which may be readily associated with the individual card or sheet ejector mechanisms previously described.

When it is desired to load one of the magazines of my present invention with a stack or pack of cards or sheets, the magazine is laid on a fiat supporting surface with the legs I8, 20, and 2| extending upwardly, and a stack or pack of cards or sheets is placed on plate I I with the rear ends of said cards or sheets abutting each leg 21 and the rear portions of said cards or sheets'squeezed or pinched between the pair of opposed legs 20, this squeezing or pinching action causing the cards or sheets to be frictionally retained within the magazine, with the rear portion of the cards bowed or bent upwardly and maintained in this position by the legs 20. If the cards or sheets are of relatively stiff material, they will be bowed or bent upwardly throughout substantially their entire length, the extent of such bowing or bending being dependent upon-such'stiifness, but in any event the construction is such that the spacing of legs 20 will bow or bend at least the rear portions of the cards or sheets and will frictionally retain the same within the magazine.

When it is desired to associate one of the magazines with one of the ejector mechansims mounted within a dispensing cabinet, the magazine, loaded as previously described, is inverted and is placed on top of the ejector mechanism with the legs I8 disposed within apertures I I; and with the rear portion of the lowermost card of the stack 0r pack within the magazine'resting on pins I5, or, in a modified form ofejector mechanism, resting on the face of the friction material I5aon the upper surface of plate I3 (see Fig. 6). The weight of plate I1, legs I 8, 20, and 2| is suflicient to maintain the lowermost card or sheet in proper contact with the ejector mechanism, and the entire magazineand its contents are moved downwardly toward the said ejector mechanism as the cards or sheets are dispensed, the legs l8 sliding downwardly through apertures l6 during the downward movement of the magazine.

Having thus described the construction of my present invention, I will now describe the operation of the same. As stated, the present invention is primarily adapted for use in a dispensing cabinet having a front panel provided with rows of slots, behind each of which slots one of the magazines and its associated ejector mechanism are positioned. In such dispensing cabinets, each magazine contains cards or sheets containing information or data differing from that contained on the cards or sheets within the other magazines, and it is the usual practice to apply indicating plates or the like adjacent each slot to indicate the nature of the information or data contained on the cards behind that particular opening. When an operator desires to obtain one of the cards from within the cabinet, he presses the plunger I associated with a selected pack of cards. Inward movement of the plunger 1 compresses the spring 8 between abutment or washer 9 and depending flange 6 and moves blocks H and I2, plate [3 and pins I5 rearwardly, the projection 14 sliding along the upper surface of the top horizontal flange 5 of support member 3 during such rearward movement. When the operator releases plunger 7, the spring 8, acting between depending flange 8 and abutment of washer 9, projects said plunger forwardly until said abutment or washer contacts depending flange 4. During such forward movement of the plunger 1 and the parts carried thereby, the pins l5 engage the under surface of the lowermost card or sheet in the superimposed stack or pack and disengage the rear portion thereof from contact with the legs 20, whereupon continued forward movement of said pins under the influence of spring 8, projects the said lowermost card forwardly until its forward end extends through the slot 2 and beyond the front face of the panel I in a position to be grasped by the operator and to be readily withdrawn from the cabinet. During the withdrawal of the lowermost card, the other cards in the stack or pack are frictionally retained in the pack by virtue of the frictional engagement between the marginal edges of the said other cards and the legs 20, and, hence, only the lowermost card is removed from the stack or pack. Once the lowermost card is relieved of its friction-a1 contact with the legs 20, it tends to assume its normal fiat condition and the friction between the top surface of the said card and the next super-imposed card or sheet is reduced to a minimum due to the bowed or bent condition of said next superimposed card or sheet. Hence, there is little chance that the forward movement of the lowermost card will remove the next superimposed card from engagement with the legs 20, thus at all times insuring individual card or sheet delivcry. The same results are accomplished, and the same advantages arise, by the use of the modified form of ejector mechanism, wherein a frictional surface [5a is applied to the plate 13 and the pins [5 are omitted (see Fig. 6).

It is to be definitely understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiments of the same, and that various changes may be made in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the subjoined claims. It is-to be particularly understood that the patentable novelty involved herein is concerned primarily with a novel magazine for storing and dispensing cards in the manner and by the means described, and that such magazine is cap-able of use in connection with a diversity of ejector mechanisms any one of which may be employed to remove the lowermost card from frictional contact with the leg-s 20 and to project such card forwardly of the pack to a position where it may be grasped by an operator and readily withdrawn from the cabinet.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus for individually dispensing cards, the combination of a stack of like-dimensioned, superimposed cards, a substantially horizontally positioned magazine for containing said stack, means in said magazine for engagin the opposed side edges of the rear portion of said stack to bow or bend the rear portions of the side edges of said cards upwardly and to frictionally retain said cards against forward horizontal movement, and a horizontally-1eciprocatin ejector mechanism below said magazine and engaging said lowermost bowed or bent card, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagement between the side edges of said lowermost card and the frictional retaining means within said magazine and projectin said lowermost card forwardly to a position where it may be readily grasped by an operator for withdrawal of said lowermost card from said stack.

2. In an apparatus for individually dispensing cards, the combination of a stack of like-dimensioned, superimposed cards, a substantially horizontally positioned magazine for containing said stack, said magazine including a pair of opposed, substantially parallel legs arranged near the rear edge thereof and engaging the opposed side edges of the rear portion of said stack, the spacing between said legs being less than the width of the cards of the stack whereby said cards are frictionally retained within said magazine with the rear portions of the side edges of said cards bowed 0r bent upwardly, and a horizontally-reciprocating ejector mechanism below said magazine and engaging said lowermost bowed or bent card, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagement between said opposed legs and the side edges of said lowermost card and projecting said lowermost card forwardly to a position where it may be readily grasped by an operator for withdrawal of said lowermost card from said stack.

3. In an apparatus for individually dispensing cards, the combination of a stack of 1lke-dlllflD- sioned, superimposed cards, a substantially horizontally positioned magazine for containing said stack, said magazine including a top plate overlying the uppermost card of the stack, said top plate having a pair of opposed, depending and substantially parallel legs arranged near the rear edge thereof and engaging the opposed side edges of the rear portion of said stack, the spacing between said legs being less than the width of the cards of the stack whereby said cards are frictionally retained within said magazine with the rear portions of the side edges of said cards bowed or bent upwardly, and a horizontally-reciprocating ejector mechanism below said magazine and engaging said lowermost bowed or bent card, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagement between said opposed legs and the side edges of said lowermost card and projectin said lowermost card forwardly to a position where it mayberead;

ily-grasped by an, operatorfor withdrawal of said edge thereof and engaging the opposed side edges of the rear portion of said stack, the spacing between said legs being less than the width of the cards of the stack whereby saidcards are frictionally retained within said magazine with the rear portions of the side edges of said cards bowed or bent upwardly, said magazine also includinga pair of opposed, substantially parallel legs arranged near the front edge thereof, the spacing between said last mentioned pair-of legs being reater than the width of the cards of the stack, and a horizontally reciprocating ejector mechanism below said magazine and engaging said lowermost bowed or bent card, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagement between said firstmentioned pair of legs and the, side edges of said lowermost card and projecting said lowermost cardvforwardly between the pair of legs nearthe front edge of the magazine to a position where it may be readily grasped-by an operator for withdrawal of said lowermost card from saidstack.

5. In an apparatus for individually dispensing cards, the combination of a stack of like-dimensioned, superimposed cards, asubstantially horizontally positioned magazine forcontaining said stack, said magazine includinga pair of opposed, substantially parallel legs arranged near the rear edge thereof and engaging the opposed side edges of the rear portion of said stack, the spacing between said legs being less than the width of the cards of the stack whereby said cards arefrictionally retained within said magazine with the rear portions of the side edges of said'cards bowed or bent upwardly, said magazine also including a leg at the, rear edge thereof to prevent rearward movement of the stack in the magazine, and a horizontally reciprocating ejector mechanism below said magazine and engaging saidlowermost bowed or bent card, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagement between said opposed legs and the side edges of said lowermost card and projecting said lowermost card forwardly to a position where it, may be readily grasped by an operator for withdrawal of said lowermost card from said stack.

6. In an apparatus for individually dispensing cards, the combinationof a stack of like-dimensioned, superimposed cards, a substantially horizontally positioned magazine for containing said stack, said magazine including a pair of opposed, substantially parallel legs arranged near the rear edge thereof and engaging the'opposed side edges of the rear portion ofsaid stack, the spacing between said legs being less than the width of the cards of the stacl; whereby said cards are-frictionally retained within said magazine with the rear portions of the side edges of said cards bowed or bent upwardly, said magazine also including a leg at the rear edge thereof to prevent rearward movement of the stack in the magazine, and said vmagazine also including a pair of opposed, subtioned; pair oflegsbein greater th n th width 7 of the; cardsof the stack, and a horizontallyreciprocating ejector mechanism below said ma azine and engaging saidlowermost bowed or bent card, forward-horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagementbetween saidfirst-mentioned pair: of legs and the side edges of said lowermost card-and projecting said lowermost card forwardly between the pairof'legs near the front edge of the magazine to a position where it may be readily grasped byan operator for withdrawal of said lowermost card from saidstack.

'7; In an apparatus for individually dispensing cards,; the combination of a stack of like-dimensioned, superimposed cards, a substantially horizontally positioned magazine for containing said stack said magazine including a top plate overlying; the uppermost card of the stack, said top plate having apair of opposed, depending and substantially parallel legs arranged near the rear edge thereof and engaging the opposed side edges of the rear portion of saidstack, the spacing between said legs being less than the width of the cards of the stack whereby said cards are frictionally retained within said magazine with the rear portions of the side edges of said cards bowed or bent upwardly, said top plate also havin a depending leg at the rear edge thereof to prevent rearward movement of the stack in the magazine, and a horizontally reciprocating ejector mechanism below said magazine and engaging said lowermost bowed or bent card, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagement between said opposed legs and the side edges of said lowermost card and projecting said lowermost card forwardly to a position where it may be readily grasped by an operator for, withdrawalof saidlowermost card from said stack.

8, In an apparatus for individually dispensing cards, the combination of a stack of like-dimensioned, superimposed cards, a substantially horizontally positioned magazine for. containing said stack, said magazine including a top plate overlying the uppermost card of the stack, said top plate having a pair of opposed, depending and substantially parallel legs arranged near the rear edge thereof and engaging the opposed side edges of the rear portion of said stack, the spacing between said legs. being less than the width of the cardsvof the stack whereby said cards are frictionally retained within said magazine with the rear portions of the. side edges of said cards bowed or. bent upwardly, saidtop plate also having a depending leg at the rear edge thereof to prevent rearward movement of the stack in the magazine, and said top plate also having a, pair of opposed, depending, and substantially parallel legs arranged near the front edgethereof, the spacing between said, last-mentioned pair of legs being greater than the width of the cards of the stack, and a horizontally-reciprocating ejector mechanismbelow said-magazine and engaging said lowermost bowed or bent card, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism overcoming the frictional engagement between said firstmentioned pair of legs and the side edges of said lowermost card and projecting said lowermost cardforwardly between the pair of legs near the front edge of the magazine to a position where it may be readily grasped by an operator for withdrawal of saidlowermost card from said stack.

9. Apparatus for individually dispensing the lowermost card from a superimposed, horizontally-positioned stack of the same, comprising a magazine for containing said stack, said magazine includin a top plate overlying the uppermost card of the stack and provided with a pair of opposed, depending, and substantially parallel legs at its side edges near the front edge thereof, a horizontally positioned support member for said magazine having spaced openings adapted to slidably receive therein the said legs, and a horizontally-reciprocating ejector mechanism below said magazine and engaging the lowermost card of said stack, forward horizontal movement of said ejector mechanism projecting said lowermost card forwardly between said pair of legs to a position Where it may be readily grasped by an operator for withdrawal of said lowermost card from said stack.

10. A magazine for holding a stack of likedimensioned, superimposed cards of fixed, uniform width for use in an apparatus for dispensing in an axial direction the lowermost card of the stack, comprising a top plate adapted to overlie the stack of cards when said magazine and cards are disposed in substantially horizontal position within said apparatus, a first leg depending from one side edge of said plate near the rear end thereof and adapted to extend below the lowermost card of the stack when said stack is within said magazine, and a second leg of like dimension depending from said plate near the rear end thereof and disposed in opposed, parallel, spaced relation to said first leg, the spacing between said legs being less than the fixed, uniform width of the cards adapted to be placed within said magazine whereby said cards when placed within said magazine with their rear side edges in engagement with said legs will be bowed at their rear portions in the direction of their width and will be frictionally retained within said magazine against movement in an axial direction by engagement of the side edges of the rear 10 portions of said cards with said depending legs.

11. A magazine for holding a stack of like dimensioned, superimposed cards of fixed, uniform width as defined in claim 10, wherein the top plate has a third depending leg at the rear edge thereof and intermediate said first and second legs adapted to extend below the lowermost card of the stack when said stack is within said magazine, said third leg being engaged by the rear edge of the cards of said stack to prevent rearward movement of the cards when placed within said magazine.

12. A magazine for holding a stack of like dimensioned, superimposed cards of fixed, uniform width as defined in claim 10, wherein the top plate has a pair of opposed, depending, and substantially parallel legs, one arranged at each side edge of the plate near the front edge thereof, the spacing between said pair of legs being greater than the fixed uniform width of the cards adapted to be placed within said magazine whereby the cards may move freely in an axial direction and between said pair of legs when the rear edges of the cards are released from their frictional engagement with said first and second legs.

HUGH O. PIE-RSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,395,897 Berkowitz Nov. 1, 1921 1,483,526 Smith Feb. 12, 1924 1,490,773 Gunn Apr. 15, 1924 1,567,182 Cheshire Dec. 29, 1925 1,783,149 Jantzen Nov. 25, 1930 2,285,224 Nigra et a1 June 2, 1942 

